S: Caeloise
Session 27 PM DM: Eloise pushes forward past Nolanos. "Cae?" PM DM: Cae moves towards her and goes to throw her arms up around Eloise, but she hisses in pain when she lifts her arm. You see now that one of her arms has a tear in her shirt and blood seeping through the cloth. PM DM: Cae looks down at her arm in confusion, then in fear. Her eyes widen and her face goes pale. "No....Ellie... I-- I'm so sorry." PM Seirixori: "Oh! Hey, uh..." Seirixori walks up to Cae and goes to place her hand on the wound, "Um, can I?" PM DM: Cae: She nods toward Seir, but she looks like she's on the verge of tears. PM DM: Eloise steps up and kisses Cae. "Don't apologize. You're home." PM Seirixori: "What's wrong?" PM DM: Cae: "It... it must've got me."(edited) PM Wingy - Urrak D'Akshi: "Seir...y'said that those wolves weren't ordinary. What did ye mean exactly?" PM Alex - Nolanos: "they weren't werewolves, were they?"(edited) PM DM: Cae's only looking at Eloise, her tears finally falling. Eloise: "Werewolves?" Cae nods. Eloise: "Can any of you fix it? Isn't there something that can be done?" PM DM: Eloise: "I'm so sorry, Cae. I should've let them come after you sooner." Session 28 PM DM: So you are all reconvening after a short bit apart. Eloise, Cae, Gunnloda, and a halfling in white robes with blue and gold trim and the same stylized H on her chest as Gunnloda's tabard are all standing in what was once Poni's basement. She's older, maybe in her 60s in human years, but she's still pretty spry and has golden curly hair. Ryleigh's coming up from the slums area of town across the main street, Rav is coming from the town square, and Seirixori is coming up the stairs from the basement. PM DM: Kendall: "So. Are we ready then? Who's bit?" PM DM: Cae stands from where she and Eloise were leaning against a wall and Eloise follows, taking her hand. PM Jaymes - Ravaphine: "are you...can you fix it? Do you know the reversal spell?" PM DM: Kendall: "We'll see. It depends on what kind of problem we're looking at." PM DM: She looks up at Cae, almost twice as tall as she is. "Do you think you could sit, dear? Might make this a little easier." PM DM: Cae sits right on the floor. PM DM: Kendall takes her arm and starts a bit of an examination, poking and squeezing here and there. The wounds heal at her touch. PM Ryleigh (Nicole): Ryleigh walks into poni's and sees the group. She raises an eyebrow at all the new faces, but doesn't comment on it. Ryleigh can tell that something important is happening, so she silently joins the others. PM DM: She puts her hand on Cae's forehead, speaks some incantation, and there's a flash of light under her palm, but it stops. PM DM: She frowns, and tries something else. She says the incantation, and there's a soft glow that stops at her hand. PM DM: Kendall: "Well...." PM DM: Eloise's voice wavers. "It's not working?" Kendall: "I hate to ask... I can try one more thing, but the components are expensive." Eloise: "It doesn't matter. Cost doesn't matter. Please." PM DM: Kendall roots around in her pouch at her hip and pulls out a smaller bag. She sprinkles diamond dust into Cae's hair and puts her hand over her. She speaks the command again, and the glow is brighter, more forceful. It extends from her hand, like a bubble around Cae... but when it contracts around her, it dissipates. PM DM: Kendall takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry." PM DM: Gunnloda: "We... we could ask the Host. You could ask Olladra." PM Ryleigh (Nicole): Ryleigh moves to sit next to Ravaphine and places a comforting hand on her shoulder. PM Seirixori: Seirixori sighs and sits down. PM DM: Kendall puts her hand out for Gunnloda. Gunnloda steps forward and takes both of Kendall's hands in hers, around Cae. PM DM: Kendall: "Does anyone else serve the Host?" PM Seirixori: "I doubt it." PM Ryleigh (Nicole): "The host?" PM DM: Kendall: "Or.. worship them at all?" Gunnloda shakes her head. "Not likely. Cyan might know them. Has anyone seen her?" PM Seirixori: "She wasn't around before I went to find you." PM DM: Eloise: "Urrak came looking for her, but I haven't seen either since." PM DM: Gunnloda and Kendall turn back to each other. Gunnloda bows her head and Kendall starts a prayer. PM DM: Kendall: "I call for the aid of the Sovereign Host. Arawai, Aureon, Balinor, Boldrei, Dol Arrah, Dol Dorn, Kol Korran, Olladra, Onatar... hear our plea. Please, help me heal this woman. Let me cure her so she can continue doing good things in this world and not succumb to the blood of the beast. Heal her." PM DM: Nothing happens. PM DM: Their hands drop and everyone just looks at Kendall with the question on their faces. PM DM: She kneels next to Cae and hugs her from the side, crying on her shoulder. Cae just holds her, refusing to shed more tears. --------------- PM DM: Cae: "We'll figure something out. And if we don't... I'll do what's needed." Eloise: "Cae, no." PM DM: Cae turns to Eloise and takes her face in her hands. "Ellie... you know she's right. You love this town as much as you love me and Misha. We'll do what we can, but this... might not be enough." --------------- PM DM: Cae stands and pulls Eloise to her feet. "Just... please, if I could ask one favor. I don't want this news to get out. I don't want it to hurt Ellie more than it already will and we don't need another extermination scare or hunt." PM Jaymes - Ravaphine: "Please let us know how you want us to proceed. I still want to try to fight this. But we will respect your wishes" PM DM: Cae: "I know a place. An old ruin. If we can't find a solution by the time the moon rises, there's a place inside where I can be locked away safely. At least as a short-term solution." PM Seirixori: "We should go get Misha, quickly." PM Ryleigh (Nicole): Ryleigh gives Cae a sympathetic look, "you're making a hard but necessary choice."(edited) PM DM: Cae: "Where is she?" PM Seirixori: "We're not really sure, but she doesn't look in too much trouble." Seirixori groans as she sees Brimeia walk in.(edited) ----------------- PM DM: Cae and Eloise are both coming down the stairs at the sound of Misha's voice. Eloise practically pushes you all aside to hug her. PM DM: They all take a moment to hug in a big group hug, with Misha looking very confused in the center of it. "Yeah. Hi. What?" PM DM: Eloise: "Where were you? Were you safe? Are you hurt?" PM DM: Cae: "And what's with the dress?" PM DM: Misha: "It's pretty right? You guys should come back with me. It was so beautiful and Prince Caruhm! He's wonderful. And guess what!" She puts her hand out to show a ring with a huge ruby on it. "We're betrothed!" PM Seirixori: "Yeah." She whispers. She freezes at Misha's words. "Is... This normal?" PM DM: They both look at her and simultaneously say, "You're what?" PM DM: Misha: "We're getting married? It's going to be so wonderful there and I'm going to be the Queen." Eloise: "No... you're a Moonstream and you'll be Baroness of Bellbury when I'm gone." PM DM: Misha: "But Mooooom... he's perfect, really. You should be happy for me." PM DM: Eloise puts her arm around Misha and hugs her close again, kissing her on the head. "We'll deal with that later. We... have something to talk to you about." PM DM: Eloise: "No need... I'm going to take them home. We'll... please, if you're still here... join us for dinner later in the mansion." Session 31 PM DM: The Moonstreams came downstairs and took their spots at the head of the table while Gunnloda brought the food out (kinda helped by Seir). Eloise: "Thank you for joining us. It's trying times, but in these times, you find your staunchest allies and friends. I'm glad that no matter what it is we face due to this catastrophe, the gods have seen fit to grace us with your help." ---------- PM DM: Cae and Eloise are having their own quiet conversation at the head of the table. ----------- PM Ryleigh (Nicole): Ryleigh's smile starts to grow and she stands, "a toast: to making new friends" she lifts her goblet to Malica and Kendall, "to reuniting loved ones" she tilts her cup in the direction of the moonstreams, "and to the continuation of forging friendships, relationships, and battle buddies." She looks from Nolanos and Rav to Seir and Gunnloda, then her eyes land on Urrak and she takes a drink. PM Nolanos: "Here, here, " Nolanos says as he raises his glass and takes a drink.(edited) PM Urrak D'Akshi - Half-Orc Fighter: "Here here" Urrak mumbles and downs her drink PM Ravaphine: Rav raises her drink and takes a sip PM DM: Everyone lifts their glasses, Gunnloda with her other hand so she can keep holding Seir's. PM Seirixori: "I don't... understand the cup thing," Seir mutters but lifts her drink up with the rest. PM DM: Cae: "Oh!" PM DM: She stands and goes into the kitchens and returns with a bottle of wine. Eloise: "The Dragonwyck?" Cae: "Is there going to be a better time for it?" PM DM: She pours everyone some of the good wine. PM DM: Kendall leans over to Ryleigh. "Lovely toast, dear." PM DM: Kendall then calls down to the other end of the table after taking a sip, "And lovelier wine! Thank you to our gracious hosts." PM Ryleigh (Nicole): Ryleigh continues to smile and nods in thanks to Kendall. ----------- PM DM: As the wine and good food works its magic, the tension at the table starts to loosen and soon enough, people are calling for food from the other end and generally talking too loud and sharing too much. Cae's passing the bottle around to those who want more. PM DM: Misha's trying to find just the right angle for her ring's shine. Cae and Eloise are whispering at each other, smiling. ----------- PM Seirixori: Seirixori nods and turns to the Moonstreams, taking a piece of the citrus and setting it on one of the pieces of meat before shoving it in her mouth, "Does Takara take care of the Citrus Grove or do you guys have someone do it?" PM DM: Eloise: "We have a full contingent of workers, both year-round and seasonal for the harvest." PM DM: Cae chuckles. "Don't get her started. She'll never stop." PM DM: She elbows Cae gently. PM DM: Eloise: "The orchard is Bellbury's main export and the backbone of the economy here." PM Seirixori: Seir grins, "Well, I would gladly thank you for the fruit, she's too smug for me to want to thank her about it." PM DM: Eloise: "I can't really take credit, but you're welcome." PM Nolanos: A small smile appears on Nolanos' face as he watches Eloise and Cae interact. He finds how they interact so sweet and, as he once heard someone say, he thinks to himself 'goals...' PM Urrak D'Akshi - Half-Orc Fighter: As everyone focuses on the Moonstreams or their food Urrak whispers to Malica "Are you alright?" PM DM: Malica nods. "I'm ok." PM Urrak D'Akshi - Half-Orc Fighter: Urrak nods assuredly PM Seirixori: "Oh! Hey, do you know who Moki? Takara mentioned them to me earlier when I went to ask her about..." she motions to Cae, "stuff." PM DM: They look at each other, clueless, and both shake their heads. Cae: "Doesn't sound familiar."(edited) ------------ PM DM: Cae: "Misha, are you going to stop staring at that stone at some point in the next week?" PM DM: Misha: "Don't be jealous." Cae laughs. "Jealous. Right." -------------- PM DM: Eloise takes her glass of wine over to her desk and Cae follows, sitting on the edge of it. People are starting to break off into their own smaller conversations. -------------------- PM Ravaphine: Rav approaches the moonstreams. "Cae...Eloise. Your home is very lovely and we thank you tremendously for inviting us over for dinner" PM DM: They look up from each other. Eloise: "Of course. Thank you for everything you've done." ------------ PM DM: Cae's rushing up and when she sees you, she skids to a stop. Her face is flushed, more than it should be from just coming upstairs. "What are you doing? Where's Misha?" PM Seirixori: Seirixori takes a deep breath and starts talking, very fast, "Ok, ok, this isn't what it looks like. Or maybe... no. I thought something was weird with the ring and then I asked her about the Prince and she doesn't even know what he's a Prince of and then I tried to get her to give me the ring but she wouldn't so I tried to take it and she started screaming and there's something wrong with that ring and...and I don't know what to do."(edited) PM DM: She just pushes forward into you so she can look in the room, and when she sees her daughter, trapped in a web and crying in near hysterics, she spins around and shoves you back against a wall, pinning you with a forearm across your collarbones. PM DM: "You come into my house and assault my daughter? You shouldn't even be here." PM Seirixori: "Of course I shouldn't be here! But your wife waited too fucking long to do something about the asshole gnome so I am here and I saved your gods damn wife, and you, and I'm telling you something is wrong with that damn ring on your daughter's finger and it's going to get her killed!" She's breathing hard and it's taking her everything to not get angrier. PM DM: She slams her hand into the wall next to you and looks down at you, near growling herself. "You don't get to talk about my family like that, tiefling. You don't get to come into my house and put your hands on my daughter--" About this time, you hear Eloise's voice coming from the stairs. "Cae! What are you doing?" Cae doesn't take her eyes off you, but she says to Eloise, "Misha's room. Go help her." PM Seirixori: "You're not listening" Seir shakes her head, she can feel it this time, now that's she concentrating so hard not to lose herself to her anger, "if you don't believe me, you try to take it off! And I'll leave your stupid family alone and never come back here if I'm wrong." she growls. PM DM: Eloise slips past the two of you into MIsha's room and you can hear her... very vocal reaction to what she sees. There's a brief pause where you can sort of see her trying to free Misha, over Cae's shoulder, and she comes back out, tears in her eyes. "Let her out of there. Now." PM Seirixori: "Try to take off the ring first," Seir growls, still staring at Cae, "You won't have to see me again if you just try it, just once." PM DM: Misha: "Please don't. It hurts so much." Eloise: "Be careful, Cae. She's... angry and turns into animals." Cae's lip curls a little. "Then we'll have something in common. I believe my wife, my gods damn wife as you said, told you to do something and when the Baroness tells you to do something, you fucking listen. Release her." PM Seirixori: Seir continues to stare, her breathing more labored, but she isn't angry, she's trying not to cry, "Fine." Her breath hitches and the tears spill down her face in spite of her reluctance to let them, "Fine...fine." She looks to Eloise. "Let-- let your family die then. What do, what do I care." She hiccups and struggles to get out of Cae's grasp. PM DM: You slip free of her grasp. PM Seirixori: "I'm sorry, I was just... I just wanted to help you, shit." Seir mutters, wiping her eyes, "Why do I try?" She runs out of the room. PM DM: You hear Cae and Eloise both shout after you, "Stop!" and "Get back here!" And you can hear one of them, probably Cae, giving chase down the hall. Session 33 "Speaking of my wife, have you seen her? She said she was going to speak to your group." PM Ryleigh: Her smile stays but is a little less enthusiastic, "I have, she accompanied the others to find the next component piece."(edited) PM DM: She looks up from the letter, mid-sentence. "She what?" PM Ryleigh: Ryleigh looks confused at the response and repeats, "She went into the portal..with the others...to retrieve the next component." And offhandedly adds, "Or to keep an eye on Seirixori? Either way. She's in the portal." She smiles slightly, like she's recalling a similar situation, "and based on your reaction I'd guess she didn't tell you." Ryleigh abruptly catches herself, and takes a slight bow, "my apologies, that was out of line." PM DM: She sighs and finishes the letter, signing it and sealing it with a wax seal with the Moonstream crest. "Is there anything else?" PM Ryleigh: "No, M'Lady." But as Ryleigh reaches for the paper she can't help but add, "if it isn't too bold, is Lady Misha alright?" Sincerity etched on Ryleigh's face. PM DM: She hands the letter over and starts walking towards the doors. "She's not hurt, but she's very shaken. She's having nightmares every time she falls asleep." Ryleigh walks with her to the doors, "I'm sorry about what happened to Lady Misha" knowing all too well the feeling of being greeted by nightmares rather than dreams at night. She reaches the door and says to Usan, "Captain, could you send someone to Mr. Ningel's basement to wait for Lady Moonstream to return and let her know her presence is requested here?"